Suspicious cscript Execution of JavaScript Spawned by PowerShell

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.007JavaScript
- T1204.001Malicious Link
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects powershell.exe spawning cscript.exe to run a JavaScript file, the ClickFix execution chain used by EddieStealer in which a pasted PowerShell command launches a downloaded .js loader. This parent-child relationship combined with script-host execution indicates fake-CAPTCHA social-engineering malware delivery.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.007 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Script Host Downloader via MSXML and WScript Shell

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Suspicious npm Postinstall node Execution of setup.cjs with Warnings Suppressed

Suspicious node.exe Executing Compiled JavaScript Bytecode File

Suspicious cscript Execution of JavaScript Spawned by PowerShell

Pivot detection · T1059.007 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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